Question

Topic: Strategy

Building Relationships With Discharge Planners

Posted by Anonymous on 10/8/2012 at 7:01 PM ET 125 Points
When hospital case management doors are pretty much closed to skilled care marketing professionals, how do you build a relationship with them? When I get referrals, they are reluctant to allow me to come in and assess or talk to the family and patient (best way to sell my facility), and they are not interested, nor do they want to talk to me. Most of the hospitals in my territory will not accept any type of gift or food either. Any tips on infiltrating this secret society? I realize they get called on all day long by other marketing professionals as well, but there has to be a way without offending or annoying?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 10/8/2012 at 8:39 PM Accepted
    From their perspective, why would thy want you to come in? Do they already have quality referrals for their patients? If so, how is your facility better? Can you prove it?

    You start any sales conversation by first asking questions. Have you met with a case manager to find out what their normal process is? Who they use? Why? What would make them add another referral into their list? Why they should want to work with you?

    It's not about bribery - it's about building trust that their patients will be well taken care of, so it doesn't reflect badly on them.
  • Posted on 10/8/2012 at 9:23 PM Author
    These are great responses, thank you. A few questions and concerns I can address and answer....yes, I do consider myself a marketing professional, not a sales person. I am a certified Geriatric Care Manager and have over a decade of experience in my field. I realize that gifts and food don't build lasting relationships, but sometimes they can be a pleasant buffer or incentive to let me in. I am frustrated with the closed door policies and will ask the questions that were suggested to me. I do have a handful of relationships and will start there! Thanks to everyone! I just signed up on this site and an impressed with the response already. Oh, and I am a Marketing Director for a skilled nursing facility.
  • Posted by telemoxie on 10/9/2012 at 9:30 AM Accepted
    just curious... have you considered good old-fashioned snail mail? Postcards? User stories and testimonials? Dimensional mailings? Press releases? saturation mailings? Series mailings?
  • Posted by NovaHammer on 10/14/2012 at 9:33 PM Accepted
    Like Telemoxie suggested but also include as Drug Companies are doing .... inform the end users about your skill set and offer then encourage them to ask or to hear more about how it will help them and their families..

    "Ask your Dr about" has worked for many Medicines as most Drs admit they don't have time to argue oops I mean educate and fight the clients request if they meet standard levels of care. They just comply with the request... and make the referral or write the script.

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